http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/rss/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1521-4095

The precise synthesis of 1D materials has enabled the discovery of physical properties only accessible in length scales close to the atomic scale. Herein, it is demonstrated that encapsulation within single-walled carbon nanotubes with matching diameters leads to a stoichiometric quasi-1D van der Waals polymorph of a 2D pnictogen chalcogenide, Sb2Te3, with a blue-shifted band gap in the short-wave infrared regime.

The discovery and synthesis of atomically precise low-dimensional inorganic materials have led to numerous unusual structural motifs and nascent physical properties. However, access to low-dimensional van der Waals (vdW)-bound analogs of bulk crystals is often limited by chemical considerations arising from structural factors like atomic radii, bonding or coordination, and electronegativity. Using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as confinement templates, we demonstrate the synthesis of a short-wave infrared-absorbing quasi-1D (q-1D) chain polymorph of Sb2Te3 ([Sb4Te6]n) that is structurally and electronically distinct from its 2D counterpart. It is found that the q-1D chain polymorph has both three- and five-coordinate Sb atoms covalently bonded to Te and is thermodynamically stabilized by the electrostatic interaction between the encapsulated chain and the model SWCNT. The complementary experimental and computational results demonstrate the synthetic advantage of vdW nanotube confinement in the discovery of low-dimensional polytypes with drastically altered physical properties and potential applications in energy conversion processes.

The efficacy of adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) against solid tumors is limited by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This study develops cell-surface-anchored tumor-responsive nucleic acid therapeutics (NATs) to arm ACT cells by synergistic blockade of inhibitory pathways. NAT backpacks substantially improve the efficacy of ACT and are broadly applicable to various ACTs involving TCR-T and CAR-T cells.

The efficacy of adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) against solid tumors is significantly limited by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Systemic administration of immunostimulants provides inadequate support to ACT cells and often elicits systemic toxicities. Here we present cell-surface-anchored nucleic acid therapeutics (NATs) to robustly enhance ACT through synergistic blockade of immunosuppressive adenosine and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways in tumors. Two distinct NATs-DNA aptamers targeting PD-L1 (aptPD-L1) and ATP (aptATP)-are engineered to form partially-hybridized duplexes (aptDual) that can efficiently anchor to cell surface before transfer. Backpacked aptDual spatial-temporally co-localize with ACT cells in vivo and jointly infiltrate the ATP-rich TME. Upon binding with ATP, aptDual dissociates to responsively release aptPD-L1. Concurrently, aptATP scavenges extracellular ATP and its metabolite adenosine to disrupt the inhibitory adenosinergic axis, thereby sensitizing ACT cells to immune checkpoint blockade by aptPD-L1. This dual inhibition elicited a remarkable 40-fold increase in functional tumor-infiltrating ACT cells, substantially boosting the efficacy of TCR-T and CAR-T cells in multiple solid tumor models, even in immunologically “cold” tumors. NAT backpacks provide a facile, versatile, and safe strategy to augment various ACTs against solid tumors.

High entropy oxides (HEOs) have attracted significant attention in the field of Solid oxide cells (SOCs) owing to their outstanding advantages. However, there is a lack of studies on mechanism through which entropy increases in HEO oxygen electrodes affects segregation suppression. Based on PrBa0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5+δ (PBSCF), a novel (La0.25Pr0.25Nd0.25Sm0.25)Ba0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5+δ (LPNSBSCF) oxygen electrode is designed and fabricated in this work to claim the mechanism of entropy-enhanced in layered perovskite.

One challenge to realize the commercialization of solid oxide cell technology is the instability and poor catalytic activity of the oxygen electrode during stack operation caused by Cr-containing alloy interconnect. Particularly well-known Sr/Ba-containing perovskite oxides can easily segregate Sr/Ba to the surface, reacting with vaporized Cr and causing Cr poisoning. To address this challenge, this work designs an entropy-driven layered structural strategy to suppress the surface segregation of cations and realize substantial enhancement of catalysis activity and Cr tolerance. The investigations suggest that the planar strain generated by entropy increase in the rare earth layer plays a pivotal role in suppressing alkaline earth segregation. Consequently, the half-cells with (La0.25Pr0.25Nd0.25Sm0.25)Ba0.5Sr0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5+δ (LPNSBSCF) oxygen electrode exhibit significantly improved stability in various operation conditions with Cr containment. Furthermore, LPNSBSCF shows the high power density of 2.12 W cm−2 at 800 °C and 1.41 W cm−2 at 650 °C in the single cells of oxygen ion and proton type, respectively. This paper provides new insights into segregation suppression in layered perovskite and offers theoretical guidance for the rational design of oxygen electrodes to achieve high Cr-tolerance and catalytic activity.

A rapid, scalable CO2-laser irradiation method is reported to anchor Ni and Co as dual single atoms on L-tryptophan-modified Ti3C2T x MXene (DSAC). The resulting DSAC enables efficient NO3 −-to- NH3 conversion in a Zn–NO3 − battery, achieving simultaneous nitrate removal, energy generation, and ammonia synthesis via a potential-resolved reaction pathway.

Dual single-atom catalysts (DSACs) hold immense potential in electrochemical nitrate (NO3 −) reduction (EcNR) as a sustainable replacement to the Haber–Bosch process for the production of ammonia (NH3). However, challenges such as synthesis complexity, low purity, scalability, and stability have hindered their practical application. Herein, a rapid and scalable method is introduced to stabilize low-cost 3d transition metals (Ni and Co) as DSACs on Ti3C2T x MXene in 10 min using continuous-wave CO2-laser irradiation. Ni2+ and Co2+ ions are chelated and stabilized as single atoms onto an L-tryptophan-modified Ti3C2T x surface via metal─O and metal─N bonds, forming Ni-single atom catalyst (SAC)/MXene, Co-SAC/MXene, and NiCo-DSAC/MXene. This approach enhances MXene properties, enabling the synthesis of efficient atomic-level electrocatalysts. Potential-resolved in situ Raman spectroelectrochemistry and density functional theory reveal that EcNR proceeds through NO3 − reduction to *NO2, *NO, *NH, and *NH2 intermediates, ultimately forming NH3 via final protonation step. This process exhibits a low limiting potential of −0.37 V, with *NO2 protonation identified as the critical step. NiCo-DSAC/MXene exhibited superior EcNR performance for NH3 production in 1.0 M potassium hydroxide with sustained multiple cyclic stability. Furthermore, this catalyst is integrated into a Zn–NO3 − a battery that simultaneously removes NO3 −, generates energy, and synthesizes NH3.

Through a dual-functionalization strategy, carbon quantum dots (CQD) with exceptional fluorescence properties are engineered. These CQD are integrated with graphitic carbon nitride to form a 2D/2D heterostructure via both covalent and non-covalent modification. This integration enables ultra-trace Cr⁶⁺ detection with a limit of detection ≈70 pM—surpassing state-of-the-art Cr⁶⁺ sensors.

Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) ions in drinking water pose a significant risk to human health, being a leading cause for neurological disorders, organ damage, and infertility. This study introduces an ultrasensitive method for detecting trace Cr6+ over a wide concentration range (≈ 100 pM – 100 µM) through fluorescence enhancement signatures via integration of both covalent and non-covalent interaction strategies on carbon quantum dots (CQD). The covalent functionalization is achieved from dual-functionalized CQD (CQD-(NH2, COOH)) derived from coffee-waste. Additionally, the covalent and non-covalent approach integrates CQD-(NH2, COOH) with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) to form a 2D/2D heterostructure. The synergy between CQD-(NH2, COOH) and g-C3N4 introduces a mid-gap band in their band structure, allowing multiple carrier excitation and recombination states, significantly enhancing the fluorescence quenching signal. This combination allows to achieve Cr6+ detection sensitivity down to ≈100 pM concentration—matching the World Health Organization's 96 pM permissible limit of total Cr in drinking water. Furthermore, a 70 pM detection limit is reported for Cr6+ in a mixture of twelve ions, including cations and anions, surpassing current state-of-the-art detection limits. These results highlight the potential of dual covalent and non-covalent modification strategy in nanomaterials to set new standards in ultrasensitive and wide-range fluorescent sensing applications.

A new methodology is demonstrated that leverages the flexible nature of van der Waals ferromagnet, specifically employing an origami technique to modulate magnetic domains. A previously rarely observed antisymmetric magnetoresistance effect is detected in folded vdW Fe3GaTe2 devices. The results highlight the potential for fabricating novel spintronic devices based on this origami-like domain structure engineering method.

Emergent magnetism in 2D materials has attracted significant attention due to their intrinsic magnetic order, which persists down to the monolayer limit, and their potential applications in spintronic devices. In particular, domain structure modulation plays a crucial role in 2D magnet-based nano-spintronic devices. However, the fabrication and modulation of the desired domain structure, along with the establishment of reliable electrical write/read operations, remain significant challenges. Herein, a unique structure-shaping way to modulate domain structure is demonstrated via folding a continuous flat Fe3GaTe2 nanosheet. Accompanied by magnetic domain structure transformation, the symmetric butterfly-shaped magnetoresistance (MR) curve changes to an antisymmetric field-dependent magnetoresistance. Notably, the MR exhibits either the same or opposite sign at geometrically equivalent positions, depending on the relative angle of the current flow and domain wall direction. The MR behavior with respect to sweeping field and electrodes position is due to the circulating current in the vicinity of the domain wall. More importantly, this new concept of manipulating domain structure and its associated magneto-transport behavior can inspire novel spintronic devices fabrication and application.

A high-performance moisture-electric generator is fabricated by integrating an ionic hydrogel layer with a graphene oxide film, where the designed ionic hydrogel offers ongoing power output under diverse environments while the intrinsic layering graphene oxide efficiently manages ion diffusion for enhanced electricity production. The developed device can be easily scaled up for powering various electronic devices.

Moisture electric generators (MEGs), which can directly convert chemical energy in moisture into electricity have demonstrated great potential for powering wearable electronics and IoT devices. However, state-of-the-art MEGs suffer from transient power output and rely on high relative humidity (RH) as well as mild temperature, hampering their practical applications. Herein, a novel high-performance MEG is reported by designing ionic hydrogel and graphene oxide dual-layered devices, where the water-enriched hydrogel enables continuous power outputs under various conditions while the inherent layering nanochannels effectively regulate ion diffusion for stable and efficient performance improvement. The MEG can generate a maximum power density of 71.7 µW cm−2 and continuously output 0.6 V for more than 1400 h at room condition without degradation. Most importantly, the developed generator can operate well from −20 °C to 50 °C, and an ultrahigh and stable voltage of 1.2 V is realized at RH of 0% owing to the dynamic water equilibrium in the system. The MEG also displays excellent self-restoration capabilities, demonstrating high cyclic-performing potential. This work may provide important guidelines in designing long-life all climate applicable energy harvesting devices through designing synergistic bilayers architecture.

A noble-metal-free antiperovskite CdNNi3 is for the first time reported to fulfill the essential criteria for an ideal alkaline HER electrocatalyst with excellent performance, benefiting from the inherent metallic characteristics and unique multifunction-site synergy whereby Ni sites facilitate the H2O dissociation/OH− desorption and Cd–Ni bridge sites are active for the optimal H* adsorption and H2 evolution.

To achieve the ideal non-noble-metal HER electrocatalyst in alkaline media, developing conductive systems with multiple active sites targeting every elementary step in the alkaline HER, is highly desirable but remains a great challenge. Herein, a conductive noble metal-free antiperovskite CdNNi3 is reported with intrinsic metallic characteristics as a highly efficient alkaline HER electrocatalyst, which is designed by the facile A-site tuning strategy with the modulation the electronic structures and interfacial water configurations of antiperovskites. Impressively, the HER performance of CdNNi3 antiperovskite is superior to various state-of-the-art non-noble metal catalysts ever reported, and also outperforms the commercial Raney Ni catalyst when assemble as the cathode in the practical anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) device. With insights from comprehensive experiments and theoretical calculations, the CdNNi3 can create synergistic dual active sites for catalyzing different elementary steps of the alkaline HER; namely, the Ni site can effectively facilitate the H2O dissociation and OH− desorption, while the unusual Cd–Ni bridge site is active for the optimal H* adsorption and H2 evolution. Such multifunction-site synergy, together with inherent high electrical conductivity, enables the CdNNi3 antiperovskite to fulfill the essential criteria for an ideal non-noble-metal alkaline HER electrocatalyst with excellent performance.

Chirality is ubiquitous in nature and constitutional for life. In chiral materials the intrinsic handedness, defined by their crystal structure, becomes a main driver for a novel electronic topology that is based on the orbital angular momentum rather than the electron spin. The pivotal role of the orbital angular momentum makes chiral materials an ideal candidate for orbitronics applications.

Chirality is ubiquitous in nature and manifests in a wide range of phenomena including chemical reactions, biological processes, and quantum transport of electrons. In quantum materials, the chirality of fermions, given by the relative directions between the electron spin and momentum, is connected to the band topology of electronic states. This study shows that in structurally chiral materials like CoSi, the orbital angular momentum (OAM) serves as the main driver of a nontrivial band topology in this new class of unconventional topological semimetals, even when spin-orbit coupling is negligible. A nontrivial orbital-momentum locking of multifold chiral fermions in the bulk leads to a pronounced OAM texture of the helicoid Fermi arcs at the surface. The study highlights the pivotal role of the orbital degree of freedom for the chirality and topology of electron states, in general, and paves the way towards the application of topological chiral semimetals in orbitronic devices.

In this study, an ultrathin solid electrolyte inspired by reinforced concrete is developed, which integrates a nanostructured ceramic conductor and crosslinked polymer chains to induce a rapid multidimensional lithium-ion transport network. The synergistic ceramic-polymer framework uniformly stabilizes the structure, enabling dendrite-free plating/stripping and excellent interfacial stability. The optimized unique ion migration hopping mechanism facilitates the rapid transport of lithium-ion within the electrolyte, resulting in both stable and fast charging/discharging performance.

Realizing solid-state lithium (Li) metal batteries with fast charging capability and desirable energy density remains a key challenge for emerging applications for drones and consumer electronics, which require solid electrolytes to maintain good ionic conductivity and mechanical integrity with fast reaction kinetics. Herein, an 8.4 µm ultrathin solid electrolyte membrane is manifested with a reinforced concrete structure and expedited ion hopping migration capability, enabling the solid-state battery with fast charging capability. The rapid multi-dimensional Li-ion transportation network is well-constructed based on nanosized ceramic conductor aggregation and polymer chain induction, which allows homogenized Li+ distribution on the interface with a continuous uniform and steady plating/stripping process, thereby enhancing interfacial stability and inhibiting dendrite growth. Attributed to its structural superiorities, the assembled solid-state lithium metal battery maintains an excellent capacity retention rate of 89.2% after 1300 cycles at 10 C. A 1.2 Ah pouch cell is fabricated with a high energy density of 415.2 Wh kg−1 and also capable of cycling at 5 C, showing great potential for the practical application of solid-state batteries for next-generation energy storage devices.

Drawing inspiration from the functionality of the greenhouse ecosystem, this study develops a bionic niche capable of spatiotemporal programming the microenvironment to recapitulate the process of endochondral ossification (ECO). The niche successfully orchestrates the key stages of ECO, including immunomodulation, revascularization, chondrogenesis, and osteogenesis, offering a promising strategy for designing next-generation ECO-driven biomaterials in bone tissue engineering.

Various biomaterials have been developed to address challenging critical-sized bone defects. However, most of them focus on intramembranous ossification (IMO) rather than endochondral ossification (ECO), often resulting in suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. Drawing inspiration from the functionality of the greenhouse ecosystem, herein a bionic niche is innovatively crafted to recapitulate the ECO process. This niche consists of three hierarchical components: an embedded microchannel network that facilitates cell infiltration and matter exchange, a polydopamine surface modification layer with immunomodulatory functions, and an ECO-targeted delivery system based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Through spatiotemporally programming of the microenvironment, the bionic niche effectively recapitulates the key stages of ECO. Notably, even in the rat calvaria, a region well-known for IMO, the bionic niche is capable of initiating ECO, evident by cartilage template formation, leading to efficient bone regeneration. Taken together, this study introduces prospective concepts for designing next-generation ECO-driven biomaterials for bone tissue engineering.

This review summarizes the first decade of research on lead halide perovskite (LHP)-based X-ray and gamma-ray radiation detectors, emphasizing their exceptional detection properties, advances in synthesis, processing, and device architectures, and outlines current challenges regarding achieved Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). It provides insights for researchers and industry stakeholders interested in cost-effective, efficient, and scalable perovskite detectors for high-energy radiation applications.

Over the past decade, lead halide perovskites (LHPs) have become a vibrant thrust in the field of direct conversion X-ray and gamma-ray radiation detectors, offering promising cost-effective and robust alternatives to traditional semiconductors. This review article chronicles the significant strides made since the inception of this field, emphasizing the material, structural, and functional advancements. It begins with an overview of the fundamental properties of perovskites that render them suitable for high-energy radiation detection, such as their high atomic number, prominent charge carriers’ mobility and lifetime, and high resistivity. The review highlights key developments in material synthesis and processing techniques that have enhanced these detectors' stability, efficiency, and scalability. Furthermore, the review discusses the evolution of device architectures from single-channel photodiodes to complex multi-pixel arrays for imaging applications. The conclusion is focused on the remaining challenges that hamper the immediate progression of LHP radiation detectors to higher technology levels. This review is intended as a resource for academic researchers and industry stakeholders, summarizing the first decade of LHP detectors and forecasting the trajectory of this promising field, while remembering that forecasting the future trajectory, though challenging, is guided by current technological trends.

Amorphous-nanocrystalline intertwined Co-Ni-O-S nanohybridis developed through a rapid alternating current electrodeposition method under ambient conditions. The unique architecture integrates the advantages of amorphous and crystalline phases, resulting in exceptional electrochemical performance, including a remarkable specific capacitance of 4804 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹, 82.2% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles at 5 A g⁻¹, and 100% Coulombic efficiency.

Transition metal sulfur oxides have emerged as promising candidates for advanced energy storage due to their multi-electron redox activity and tunable nanostructures. Among them, Co-Ni-O-S composites are particularly attractive for supercapacitors owing to their high energy storage density. However, conventional synthesis methods often require prolonged processing times (>10 h) or high-temperature treatments (>80 °C), which limit their practical applications. This work addresses these challenges by developing amorphous-nanocrystalline intertwined Co-Ni-O-S nanohybrid nanosheet arrays through a rapid alternating current (AC) electrodeposition method (1 h) under ambient conditions. The unique architecture combines the advantages of amorphous phases (enhanced ion diffusion pathways) and nanocrystalline domains (efficient charge transport), leading to exceptional specific capacitance of 4804 F g⁻¹ (or 959 mAh g−1, 2402 C g−1) at 1 A g⁻¹, 82.2% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles (5 A g⁻¹), and a near 100% Coulombic efficiency (CE). The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor achieves an energy density of 199.4 Wh kg⁻¹ at 754 W kg⁻¹, bridging the performance gap between batteries and conventional capacitors.

This review systematically summarizes recent advances in synchronization strategies for improving the activity and stability of Fenton-like single-atom catalysis, with a focus on the design principles and mechanisms of four key strategies: coordination engineering, confinement effects, carrier substitution, and catalytic module design. In addition, the auxiliary role of machine learning is evaluated in advancing these synchronization strategies. Key factors governing the stability/activity of SACs are highlighted, and future directions are proposed for developing next-generation catalysts with high efficiency and long-term durability for practical environmental remediation.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have garnered significant attention in the applications of environmental remediation based on Fenton-like systems. Current research on Fenton-like single-atom catalysis often emphasizes catalytic activity and mechanism regulation, while paying limited attention to the simultaneous enhancement of both activity and stability—a critical factor for the practical and scale-up applications of SACs. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in synchronization strategies for improving the activity and stability of Fenton-like single-atom catalysis, with a focus on the design principles and mechanisms of four key strategies: coordination engineering, confinement effects, carrier substitution, and catalytic module design. To the best of knowledge, this represents the first comprehensive review of Fenton-like single-atom catalysis from the perspective of concurrent optimization of activity and stability. Additionally, the auxiliary role of machine learning and lifecycle assessment (LCA) is evaluated in advancing these synchronization strategies. By investigating the interplay among different support materials, coordination configurations, and reaction environments, as well as enlarged modules, key factors governing the stability/activity of SACs are highlighted, and future directions are proposed for developing next-generation catalysts with high efficiency and long-term durability for practical environmental remediation.

Exclusive construction of graphitic nitrogen coordinated with pentagon defects is achieved by pyrolysis of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 under unusually high temperatures. The graphitic nitrogen model electrocatalyst enables highly efficient four-electron oxygen reduction reaction in both alkaline and acidic conditions, as evidenced by in situ electrochemical Raman spectroscopy.

Nitrogen-doped carbon materials have emerged as promising metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells and metal-air batteries. However, the structural inhomogeneity, particularly the coexistence of four nitrogen doping structures–pyridinic, graphitic, pyrrolic, and oxidized nitrogen–makes assessing their respective contributions challenging and controversial. The current understanding of the four nitrogen doping structures may be also oversimplified and even problematic. The development of a distinctive graphitic-N-doped carbon electrocatalyst is presented in which graphitic nitrogen coordinated with pentagon defects is selectively constructed. Contrary to the previously held belief that graphitic nitrogen has little effect on ORR electrocatalysis, the unique graphitic N configuration exhibited significantly enhanced four-electron ORR activity in both alkaline and acidic media. In situ electrochemical Raman spectroscopy combined with density functional theory calculations further revealed that graphitic nitrogen, when coordinated with pentagon defects, optimized the density of states near the Fermi level, leading to optimized binding energies with oxygen-containing intermediates. The results rationalize the long-standing controversy over the role of different nitrogen dopants in ORR electrocatalysis and suggest that there is considerable potential to precisely construct new nitrogen doping configurations to achieve superior electrocatalytic performance.

In situ polymerized polyfluorinated crosslinked polyether electrolytes are engineered for high-voltage Li metal batteries. Electron-withdrawing fluorinated groups enhance oxidative stability, improve interfacial compatibility, and promote inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase formation for uniform Li deposition. Ah-level Li||NCM811 pouch cells achieve 401.8 Wh kg−1 specific energy, showcasing promise for practical high-energy-density solid-state Li metal batteries.

In situ polymerized polyether electrolytes are promising for solid-state Li metal batteries due to their high ionic conductivity and excellent interfacial contact. However, their practical application is hindered by Li dendrite formation, interfacial degradation, and limited oxidative stability. Herein, we propose an in situ polymerized polyfluorinated crosslinked polyether electrolyte (PDOL-OFHDBO), synthesized by copolymerizing 1,3-dioxolane (DOL) with 2,2′-(2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluorohexane-1,6-diyl)bis(oxirane) (OFHDBO) as a polyfluorinated crosslinker. The electron-withdrawing polyfluorinated groups endow PDOL-OFHDBO with enhanced oxidative stability and interfacial compatibility, while reducing the solvation power of the polymer matrix to promote an anion-derived inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase for uniform Li deposition. Consequently, PDOL-OFHDBO exhibits a wide electrochemical stability window (>5.6 V) and enables long-term stable Li plating/stripping for over 1100 h. Furthermore, Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) full cells utilizing PDOL-OFHDBO demonstrate outstanding cycling stability with high-loading cathodes (≈3.8 mAh cm−2) and thin Li anodes (50 µm), achieving capacity retention of 95.5% and 89.1% over 100 cycles at cut-off voltages of 4.3 and 4.5 V, respectively. Remarkably, Ah-level Li||NCM811 pouch cells deliver an impressive specific energy of 401.8 Wh kg−1, highlighting their potential for practical solid-state Li metal batteries.

Practical high-temperature high-voltage thermal charging cells, incorporating heat-resistant Ca–Li salt, C4mimAOT-AmimCl co-solvent, and PEN@ZrBDC-F-4% separators, are successfully developed. These advancements are attributed to enhanced energy storage of dual carriers, improved diffusion kinetics facilitated by the AmimCl solvent and optimized carrier mobility enabled by the anionophilic properties of ZrBDC. The research holds significant promise for high-temperature, high-performance waste heat harvesting.

Thermoelectric technologies (TEs) offer immense potential for waste heat recovery and energy storage. However, the practical application of current TEs has been severely hampered by potential performance degradation in extreme environments, particularly at high temperatures, due to electrolyte flammability or poor carrier mobility. The development of high-temperature, high-performance TEs is crucial for broadening their operational range and enabling diverse applications. Here, practical high-temperature high-voltage thermal charging cells (HHTCCs) are reported, facilitated by a heat-resistant trifluoromethanesulfonate-based Ca–Li dual-cationic ionic liquid electrolyte containing functionalized AmimCl solvent, together with a thermotolerant composite membrane, PEN(polyphenylene-ether-nitrile)@ZrBDC-F-4%. The dual-cation mechanism enables high thermal voltage through cooperative energy storage, while the functionalized AmimCl accelerates the mobility of Ca2+ and Li+ ions by weakening the surrounding shielding effect. Additionally, the anionophilic ZrBDC-F-4% nanoparticles in the composite membrane enhance carrier migration. As a result, the HHTCCs exhibit an impressive thermal voltage of 1.138 V, a remarkable thermopower of 15.3 mV K−1, and an outstanding Carnot-relative efficiency of 9.56% over an unprecedented temperature range from 328.15 to 393.15 K, demonstrating the excellent safety and feasibility of HHTCCs. This work expands the service-temperature range of i-TEs, holding significant promise for high-temperature, high-performance waste heat harvesting.

Unperceivable wearable technologies seamlessly integrate into everyone's daily life, for healthcare and Internet-of-Things applications. By remaining completely unnoticed both visually and tactilely, by the user and others, they ensure medical privacy and allow natural social interactions. Herein are introduced recent strategies employed at material, design, and integration levels to reach unperceivable technologies, whether through transparent materials or strategically hidden devices.

Wearable smart electronics are taking an increasing part of the consumer electronics market, with applications in advanced healthcare systems, entertainment, and Internet of Things. The advanced development of flexible, stretchable, and breathable electronic materials has paved the way to comfortable and long-term wearables. However, these devices can affect the wearer's appearance and draw attention during use, which may impact the wearer's confidence and social interactions, making them difficult to wear on a daily basis. Apart from comfort, one key condition for user acceptance is that these new technologies seamlessly integrate into our daily lives, remaining unperceivable to others. In this review, strategies to minimize the visual impact of wearable devices and make them more suitable for daily use are discussed. These new devices focus on being unperceivable when worn and comfortable enough that users almost forget their presence, reducing psychological discomfort while maintaining accuracy in signal collection. Materials selection is crucial for developing long-term and unperceivable wearable devices. Recent developments in these unperceivable electronic devices are also covered, including sensors, transistors, and displays, and mechanisms to achieve unperceivability are discussed. Finally, the potential applications are summarized and the remaining challenges and prospects are discussed.

A non-contact Pt-ionomer microenvironment is strategically engineered to alleviate the sulfonate group-induced poisoning effect on Pt active sites by encapsulating Pt-based nanoalloys within porous nanofibers. This innovative architecture significantly enhanced proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance, achieving a remarkable peak power density of 29.0 kW gPt −1 and an exceptional initial mass activity of 0.69 A mgPt −1.

Carbon-supported Pt-based catalysts in fuel cells often suffer from sulfonate poisoning, reducing Pt utilization and activity. Herein, a straightforward strategy is developed for synthesizing a porous PtCoV nanoalloy embedded within the porous structures of carbon nanofibers. Incorporation of vanadium (V) atoms into the PtCo alloy optimizes the oxygen binding energy of Pt sites, while heightening the dissolution energy barrier for both Pt and Co atoms, leading to a significantly enhanced intrinsic activity and durability of the catalyst. By encapsulating the nanoalloys within porous nanofibers, a non-contact Pt-ionomer interface is created to mitigate the poisoning effect of sulfonate groups to Pt sites, while promoting oxygen permeation and allowing proton transfer. This rational architecture liberates additional active Pt sites, while the evolved porous nanostructure of the PtCoV alloy extends its exposed surface area, thereby boosting Pt utilization within the catalytic layer and overall fuel cell performance. The optimized catalyst demonstrates an exceptional peak power density of 29.0 kW gPt −1 and an initial mass activity of 0.69 A mgPt −1, which exceeds the U.S. Department of Energy 2025 targets. This study provides a promising avenue for developing highly active and durable low-Pt electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications.

This work demonstrates that PTO/CCMO/SRO heterostructure can hold a broad family of skyrmion-like polar textures. One can write regular skyrmion bubble patterns with a high density ≈300 Gbit per inch2 by local tip field. The multiple π-twist target skyrmions and skyrmion bags show significant topology-enhanced stability, verifying a topology strategy to encode robust information in ferroelectrics.

Topological textures like vortices, labyrinths, and skyrmions formed in ferroic materials have attracted extensive interest during the past decade for their fundamental physics, intriguing topology, and technological prospects. So far, polar skyrmions remain scarce in ferroelectrics as they require a delicate balance between various dipolar interactions. Here, it is reported that PbTiO3 thin films in a metallic contact undergo a topological phase transition and hold a broad family of skyrmion-like textures including Q = ±1 skyrmions, multiple π-twist target skyrmions, and skyrmion bags, with independent controllability, analogous to those reported in magnetic systems. Weakly-interacted skyrmion arrays with a density over 300 Gbit/inch2 are successfully written, erased, and read out by local electrical and mechanical stimuli of a scanning probe. Interestingly, in contrast to the relatively short lifetime (<20 hours) of the normal skyrmions, the multiple π-twist target skyrmions and skyrmion bags show topology-enhanced stability with a lifetime of over two weeks. Experimental and theoretical analysis implies the heterostructures carry electric Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction mediated by oxygen octahedral tiltings. The results demonstrate ferroelectric-metallic heterostructures as fertile playgrounds for topological states and emergent phenomena.